A RAFT of unseen sketches and material by Prestwich-born comedian Victoria Wood are set to be published later this year.

The announcement of the new book, Victoria Wood Unseen on TV, comes on the fifth anniversary of her tragic death aged 62.

The scripts were discovered by writer Jasper Rees while he was researching Wood's biography, Let's Do It, which came out last year.

Rees said: “In researching Victoria Wood’s remarkable life story I was amazed to find in her archive so much brilliant unseen material.

"I am deeply grateful to the Victoria Wood Estate for giving permission to bring these rare and glinting gems into the light, and thrilled to continue a fruitful collaboration with Trapeze Books, who have shown such passion for keeping Victoria’s flame alive."

Jamie Coleman, publishing director at Trapeze Books, said: “Time and time again, readers of the magisterial Let’s Do It said the same thing: that the joy with which they greeted this rich, detailed portrait of Victoria Wood on the page was tempered with a deep sadness at never being surprised by new material from that brain ever again.

"What Jasper has uncovered is a unique insight into the mind of an unsurpassed comedic genius and we couldn’t be prouder to bring it to the attention of her legions of fans.”

Rees is an arts journalist and author who has written for the Daily Telegraph, Sunday Times and theartsdesk.com, which he co-founded. Let’s Do It was written with the full co-operation of Wood's family, friends and colleagues including Julie Walters, Celia Imrie, Duncan Preston, Dawn French, Anne Reid and Michael Ball.

Wood was born in Prestwich in 1953 and brought up in nearby Bury. She was educated at Fairfield County Primary School and Bury Grammar School for Girls, before becoming one of the best known stand up comedians of the 1980s, selling out the Royal Albert Hall 40 times while, in the 1990s, creating the TV film Pat and Margaret and the sitcom Dinnerladies.

Given an OBE in 1997, she was made a CBE in 2008. Her work won eight Baftas, as well as many other awards. She died on April 20 2016. A statue of Wood was unveiled in Bury in May 2019.

Victoria Wood Unseen on TV will be published on October 28 2021 in hardback and e-book.